Hoisting and conveying apparatus.



No. 777,122. PATBNTED DEC. 13, 1904.

' T. S. MILLER.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

. APPLIUATION FILED rmme, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 3SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

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witnesses PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

T. S. MILLER.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 29, 1904.

j amma'm foc xuzeqd 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W-Lkmaaoea N0 MODEL.

PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

T. S. MILLER. HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL.

A mucmtoz Patented December 13, 1904.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEl V JERSEY.

HOlSTlNG AND CONVEYING APPARATUS SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 777,122, dated December 13, 1904, Application filed February29, 1904. Serial No. 195,756. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SrnNcnR MIL- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of South Orange, county of Essex, and State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and useful Hoisting and ConveyingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is particularly applicable to the transportation ofloads between different points within a quadrilateral, although variousfeatures of it are susceptible of other useful applications.

In the accompanying drawing-s1 have shown the invention as applied tothe unloading of lumber from a ship.

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 8 is a sideview. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view, and Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 aredetails.

A is the ship. B is the dock alongside. C is a load of lumber. a a o arehatchways through the deck. 7) b are masts of extraordinary height,between the tops of which is stretched the cable 0. (Z (Z are booms 0xtending from the masts outboard over the deck. a is a cable stretchedbetween the ends of said booms. f f are two booms extending in theopposite direction from the masts and between the ends of which isstretched the cable The quadrilateral formed by the booms (Z (Z f f andthe cables 0 9 includes within its field the hatchways and deck and aportion of the dock, or, in other words, the surface from various partsof which the loads are to be taken and the surface to which the loadsare to be delivered. High overhead this quadrilateral is longitudinallycrossed by the cable a.

H, l, and J are three trolleys or carriages running, respectively, onthe cables 0, e, and

Each of these trolleys or carriages is constructed similar to thetrolley H, (shown in Fig. 9,) consisting of a frame it, in which isjournaled the wheel if, running on the cable 0.

The load (1 is suspended from trolley H by sheave-block it,hoisting-rope 1, bridle 2, spreader 3, and slings 1 4, which slings arelong enough to extend from the deck down to the bottom of the hold.

K is a swinger-guide suspended from trolley H by rope 5 and bridle 6. Itengages the slings 4: at, so that they slide up and down through it. Itis bridled to the swinger-ropes 7 8, which extend, respectively, throughthe.

sheave-blocks 1." and j of the trolleys I and J.

The load when hoisted above deck may thus be swung between the cables 0and g, and the plane in which it swings may be located at any pointbetween the masts by the movement of the trolleys II, I, and J. In thisway successive loads may be taken from different parts of the deck orfrom different hatchways and transferred to the same or different partsof the dock, or vice versa. The principle thus accomplished isexceedingly important, since it enables the preparation or collection ofloads to be going on simultaneously at differ ent points of thequadrilateral field of operations, which leads are taken successively bythe apparatus, which therefore does not have to wait on the preparationof the loads.

I will next describe the means for moving the trolleys and operating thehoisting and swinging ropes. The trolleys are provided with thetraction-ropes 9 10 11, which extend parallel with the cables and thenparallel with the mast and booms to a common traction-actuator l),(shown in Fig. 6,) and located convenient to the mast Z). This actuatorprefer ably consists of the three-part drum 12, controlled by a friction-bral e 13 and frictioncluteh 1 1. The trolleys are moved in onedirection by inhauling ropes 9 l0 l1 and paying out ropes 1, 7, and 8 atthe same time. Reversing the operation causes the trolleys to move inopposite direction.

The hoisting-rope 1 extends from the trolley H parallel with the cable 0and thence down the mast b to the hoist-actuator E,which preferablyconsists of the drum 15, operated. by a reversible link-motion engine.(Diagrammatically shown in Fig.

The swinger-ropes 7 8 extend from the trolleys I and J parallel with thecables c and 7 and then parallel with thebooms (Z and f to theswinger-actuator F, which preferably consists of the two drums 16 1'7,controlled, respectively, by the friction-brakes18 19 and the slipfriction-clutches 20 21, which are preferably constructed as describedin my Patent No. 715,111, and which clutches are respectively controlledmanually by the screws 22 and 23. This actuator is intended to runcontinuously in one direction, thus maintaining tension in both ropesall the time.

i The operation is as follows: Starting from the bottom of a hatchwaythe fall or slings 4t is hoisted through the swinger-guide K until theload is above the deck. The drums may then be operated to move thetrolleys in unison to the desired point. Then the relative pressure ofthe slip friction-surfaces 20 and 21 is so adjusted that one overcomesthe other suificiently to swing the swinger-guide in the directiondesired and to the desired degree. Then the pressure of thefriction-surfaces 20 and 21 is adjusted so as to hold the swingerblockin that position while the load is lowered and the hoisting-rope hoistedagain, or the swinger-guide may be held in this position by applying thefriction-brake to one of the drums 16 or 17. Thereafter the operation isreversed for swinging the swinger-guide to any position from which it isdesired to take the next succeeding load. By skilful manipulation thehoisting or lowering operation may be going on at the same time with theswinging motion and the longitudinal motion, so that the pathwaytraversed by the load is a curved path way, being the minimum distancebetween the point of loading and unloading consistent with obstructions.

By controlling the swingerropes by the slip friction-surfaces shownthose surfaces may be held in contact during all parts of the operation,so as to exert a continual tension on the ropes and enable them to behandled with greater precision. This tension might be supplied by otherforms of mechanism.

By the arrangement that I have above described it will also be observedthat the correct operation of the swinger-ropes is not interfered withby a lack of parallelism in the trackways'for the carriages I and J,such as the lack of parallelism resulting from the difference indistance between said traekways at the center and ends, respectively,necessarily incident to the employment of cables.

The booms (Z d ff are pivotally secured at their inner ends, so thatwhen not in use they may be swung upward and secured against the masts.They are also made transposable, so that the longer and shorter booms,respectively, may be lowered on the opposite side of the mast, thuspermitting the apparatus to be used for receiving or discharging thecargo on either side of the ship.

Various modifications might be made of the apparatus above describedwhile still embodying features of my invention. Some of these may bementioned, for example, as follows: One of the swinger-ropes, as 8, andall of the mechanism for supporting, guiding, and actuating it might beomitted, dependence being had upon gravity to produce the backwardswing. The laterally-placed cables 0 and g, or either of them, might befor certain classes of work omitted, dependence being placed upon thetension of the ropes actuating the carriages I and J, for guiding theirmovement. The sheaves (Z (Z* 7f*, by which these ropes are guided, maybe fixed in their lateral positions by other means than by attachment tothe ends of the booms.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In combination, a hoist-actuator, a hoisting-ropehaving an elevated approximately horizontal run and a fall pendent fromsaid run, a swinger-guide through which said fall operates and wherebythe same is swung laterally from the vertical plane of said horizontalrun.

2'. In combination, a hoist-actuator, a carriage traveling to and fromsaid hoistactua tor, a hoisting-rope extending from said h oistactuatorto said carriage and pendent therefrom, a swinger-guide through whichthe fall of said hoisting-rope operates and whereby the same is swunglaterally from the vertical plane of the carriage-pathway.

3. In combination, a head and tail support, an elevated fall-rope sheavetraveling between the same, a hoisting-rope having an elevated runextending from one of said supports to said sheave and a fall pendenttherefrom and a swinger-guide through which said fall operates andwhereby the same is swung laterally from the plane of said supports.

4. In combination, head and tail supports, a

fall-rope-sheave traveling in an elevated pathway between the same, afall-rope pendent from said sheave, a swinger-rope sheave traveling in alower and laterally-located pathway, a swinger-guide through which saidfallrope runs and a swinger-rope connecting said guide with saidswinger-rope sheave.

5. In combination, head and tail supports, a fall-rope sheave travelingbetween the same, a fall-rope, two swinger-rope sheaves each travelingin a laterally-located pathway on opposite sides of said fall and aswinger-rope extending from each of the same to said fall.

6. In combination, the elevated sheaves b 12*, the sheave-block 7Ltraveling between the same, a traction-rope extending from one of saidsheaves to said sheave-block, ahoistingrope extending from the other ofsaid sheaves through said sheave-block, the laterally-located lowersheaves (Z (F, a sheave-block 2" traveling between the same, atraction-rope extending from one of the last-mentioned sheaves to saidsheave-block and a swingerrope extending from the other side of saidlast-mentioned sheaves through said sheavebloek and engaging with thefall.

7. In combination, the elevated sheaves 7), I)", the sheave-block htraveling between the same, a traction-rope extending from one of saidsheaves to said sheave-block, a hoistingrope extending from the other ofsaid sheaves through said sheave-block, the laterally-located lowersheaves (Z (Z a sheave-block i traveling between the same, atraction-rope extend ing from one of the last-mentioned sheaves to saidsheave-block and a swinger-rope extending from the other side of saidlast-mentioned sheaves through said sheave-block and engaging with thefall, the laterally-located sheaves f f, the sheave-block j travelingbetween the same, a traction-rope extending from one of saidlast-mentioned sheaves to said sheaveblock, a swinger-rope extendingfrom the other of said last mentioned sheaves through said sheave-blockand engaging with the fall.

8. In combination, an elevated trackway, a carriage thereon, a lowerlaterallylocated trackway, a carriage thereon, a fall pendent from saidelevated carriage and a swingerrope from said lower carriage engagingsaid fall.

9. In combination, an elevated trackway, a carriage thereon, two lowertrackways located laterally on each side of the vertical plane of saidelevated trackway, a carriage on each of said lower trackways, a fallpendent from said elevated carriage and a swinger-rope extending to saidfall from each of said lower carriages.

10. In combination, an elevated fall-rope sheave, a fall pendenttherefrom, a hoist-actuator, two swinger-ropes extending in oppositedirections from said fall, two swinger-actuators and means whereby theymay be relatively controlled.

11. In combination, a hoist-actuator, a traetion-actuator, aswinger-actuator, a hoistingrope, a swinger-rope connecting saidswingeractuator with the fall of said hoisting-rope and means wherebysaid traction-actuator exerts its traction in opposition to said ropes.

12. In a boat, in combination, two masts, booms extending outboardtherefrom, a hoisting-rope sheave, an elevated hoisting-rope sheavetraveling between said masts, a swingerrope sheave traveling betweensaid booms, the hoisting-rope and the swinger-rope engaging therewith.

13. In a boat, in combination, two masts, booms extending outboardtherefrom in both directions, an elevated hoisting-rope sheave travelingbetween said masts, a swinger-rope sheave traveling between each pair ofsaid booms, a hoisting-rope and swinger-ropes engaging therewith.

14. In a boat, in combination, two masts, booms extending outboardtherefrom, an elevated cable between said masts, a cable between saidbooms, a carriage on each of said cables, a fall-rope pendent from oneof said carriages and a swinger-rope engaging therewith from the otherof said carriages.

15. In a boat, in combination, two masts, booms extending outboardtherefrom, a hoisting-rope, a swinger-rope engaging therewith, ahoisting-rope sheave traveling between said masts,a swingerrope sheavetraveling between said booms, a traction-aetuator connected with both ofsaid sheaves, a swingeractuator and a hoist-actuator; each of saidactuators being located adjacent to one of said masts.

16. In combination, an elevated hoistingrope sheave, a hoisting-rope, ahoist-actuator, two swinger-rope sheaves, two swinger-ropes, twoswinger-rope actuators and a traction-actuator connected with all ofsaid sheaves.

17. In a hoisting apparatus, in combination, a hoisting-rope, anelevated support from which it is pendent, a swinger-guide engaging thependent portion of said hoisting-rope below said elevated support andthe following means whereby said swinger-guide is moved in two verticalplanes, viz: a swinger-rope extending from said guide in the plane ofswing and a rope forming a running engagement with said swinger-rope andextending laterally from said plane of swing.

18. In a hoisting apparatus, in combination, a h0istingrope, an elevatedsupport from which'it is pendent, a swinger-guide engaging the pendentportion of the hoisting-rope below said elevated support and thefollowing means whereby said swinger-guide is moved in two verticalplanes, viz: two swinger-ropes extending from said guide in oppositedirec tions in the plane of swing and two ropes each forming a runningengagement with one of said swinger-ropes and extending laterally to theplane of swing.

19. In a hoisting apparatus, in combination, a hoisting rope, anelevated support from which it is pendent, a swinger-guide engaging thependent portion of the hoisting-rope below said elevated support and thefollowing means whereby said swinger-guide is moved. in two verticalplanes, viz: two swinger-ropes extending from said guide in oppositedirections in the plane of swing and two ropes each forming a riimningengagement with one of said swinger-ropes and extending laterally to theplane of swing, said swinger-ropes extending from said runningengagement laterally to the plane of swing in the opposite direction.

20. In a hoisting apparatus, in combination, a hoisting-rope, anelevated support from which it is pendent, a swinger-guide engaging thependent portion of the hoisting-rope below said elevated support,aswinge1--ropeex tending from said swinger-guide in the plane of swingand the following means whereby said swinger-guide and the pendentportion of said l1oistingro1.)e are moved laterally to the plane ofswing, viz: two ropes one of which forms a running connection with saidhoisting-rope and the othef with said swinging rope and each of whichextends away from the plane of swing.

21. In a hoisting apparatus, in combination,

a hoistingrope, an elevated support from which it is pendent, aswinger-guide engaging the pendent portion of the hoisting-rope belowsaid elevated support and the following means whereby said swinger-guideis moved into two vertical planes, viz: a trackway extendingtransversely t0 the plane of swing, a carriage thereon, a swinger-ropeextending from said swinger-guide to said carriage and I0 thence awayfrom the plane of swing and a traction-rope extending from said carriagein the opposite direction away from the plane of swing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing 5 witnesses.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER. Vitnesses:

J OHN SINCLAIR, J. J. DERRICK.

